Kanye West: linking poor mental health to violence is dangerous

Kanye West is “troubled”. So says the Daily Mirror’s front page. West, aka Mr Kim Kardashian, has been “taken to hospital in cuffs for safety”. He is “reportedly on suicide watch…after suffering a psychotic breakdown”.

The California Welfare and Institutions Code has a Section 5150, which authorizes a physician or qualified officer to involuntarily confine (in Kanye’s case, hospitalize) an individual who is thought to have a mental disorder that renders them a danger to him or herself or others.

TMZ says West is undergoing “psychiatric evaluation”. People says he’s in the hospital for “sleep deprivation”.

Sad, indeed, that what looks like a personal crisis should be front-page news. Mental health is not something to treat lightly. Which brings us to the Sun, which thunders on its cover: “PSYCHOTIC KANYE IN ‘ASSAULT’.”

Over pages 8 and 9 we read of Kanye West apparent “nervous breakdown”. He is “OUT OF CONTROL”. There are claims he attacked a staff member in a gym. Kanye was taken to hospital “for his own health and safety”.

Having linked failing mental health with alleged acts of violence, we get to the speculation. “Friends of Kim” claimed the strain of their marriage may have led to his breakdown”. These “friends” says Kim and Kanye have been “bickering constantly”. Maybe having pals like that drove him over the edge?

Of course, what all papers mean to say is that mental health is no joking matter. We wish Kanye West well.